Many Mumbling Mice
by Feckless Chaff
Summary: The last installment in the O is Very Useful series. "So maybe he didn't get to "play parent." They knew the truth and that was all that mattered." One-shot. Rated T for one word and content.


**Authors Note: **I'm writing this mostly because I feel like I am a disgrace to the FanFic community. I haven't been able to complete a chapter fic since 2010. I was planning on writing a chapter fic but I thought I should start with this one-shot. So here you go.

This is the fifth and last installment of the _O is Very Useful _series. I suggest you read those first so you can understand the plotline. This fic will have mentions of **Mpreg** so if that squicks you out, turn away now. Also, it will have a **FTM transgender** character, so if you're not comfortable with that either, find another fic to read. With that being said, I hope you all enjoy the finale of this series, it's been fun.

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><p>The phrase time flies when you're having fun was so relevant in James Diamond's life. He was having absolutely no fun watching Jo raise his daughter-his pride and joy- and that must be why it took so long for seventeen years to go by. But after what felt like an eternity, it was finally the evening of he and Kendall's child's seventeenth birthday.<p>

He looked around the room he was in, a bedroom for a teenager. But instead of pink and fluffy teenage girl stuff like he expected it to be covered in whenever he thought of his daughter's room at seventeen, the walls were painted red with nothing on them and hockey memorabilia and gear was thrown haphazardly all over the place. It honestly looked a lot like Kendall's room when they were still in Minnesota and James laughed at that memory.

The connected bathroom door creaking open was enough to stir James from his thoughts. Out walked Lily, or Liam as he liked to be called. He still had those long eyelashes and deep eyes that looked scarily like James'; that was the only thing that seemed to stay the same. James moved back on the bed, giving Liam some room to sit down.

James was always struck with flashbacks when he saw Liam. He remembered his baby girl Lily, in his arms when she was born. Then he'd think of the girl in the sunflower swimsuit, paddling around the pool like she belonged there. Another memory that would hit him was that same little girl struggling out of the dress her "mother" had just put on her and the exasperated sigh Jo would give as she helped her into pants and a t-shirt. After that was Lily cutting her own hair until it was short enough to look like "daddies." The rest was a blur of buying actions figures and clothes from the boy's side of the store. And now here they were, seventeen years after his baby was born and he was monitoring her- _him_- as he took his first male hormone injection.

"How'd it go?" James asked as Liam sat down. Liam shrugged, bringing his legs up onto the bed.

"Okay, I guess," he said with a small laugh. James could tell that he was trying to make his voice deeper. He also knew that he couldn't wait until the shots and other transitions were over and he would actually start sounding like the boy he was.

It hurt seeing his baby in so much pain, hating who he was. At first it was the hatred of being trapped inside of a girl's body. Liam was always trying to escape from Lily, but she always caught up with him, dragging him down. James couldn't imagine how terrible that felt. Then there was the hatred caused by knowing what others thought about him. Sure, his entire family was accepting of him, but there was no ignoring the sneers and whispers directed at Liam from strangers. It knocked him down so much that he would yell at Jo and Kendall whenever they tried to reason with Liam. But James was different; he listened to Liam rant about it and told him that he was better than the assholes who mocked him. He also told him that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Soon he would be who he was and life would get better.

That was the exact reason why Liam trusted James to oversee his transition. Kendall and Jo had finally given into his requests to start the process. They talked about how hard it would be and all of the consequences. James reasoned with them that this was what Liam needed and they gave in eventually, but not without the fight Jo and James constantly had about who was really his parent.

"James?" Liam said, pushing his bangs out of his face.

"Yeah?" James asked, looking the boy up and down. He wanted to make sure that everything was okay. He hoped the shot didn't hurt him or do something wrong.

"Thank you," Liam said quietly. James grinned and sat up a little bit more. He put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Of course," James said, It was quiet, but not awkward. They sat in the room for a couple minutes before Liam finally stood again. He rubbed his side where he had given the shot and smiled.

"I should probably go downstairs, you know, tell mom and dad how it went," he said. James nodded in agreement and stood.

They headed towards the door, but before leaving, Liam stopped. He turned and hugged James tightly, the older man returning the hug gratefully. When they finally pulled away Liam spoke.

"I love you dad," he said, a wicked grin playing on his features. James gaped.

"W-what?" he stuttered but didn't deny it. Liam laughed happily.

"I don't think you guys realize how loudly you talk. I've known since I was seven. Why do you think I wanted to be so close with you?"

James didn't know what to say. He just nodded and swallowed thickly. Liam laughed again and started to walk out of the room again.

"I won't tell mom and dad I know, I promise," he yelled over his shoulder and James could hear the faint sound of his trampling down the stairs. James smiled brighter than ever. Liam knew and he was okay with it. That had to mean something, so maybe didn't get to "play parent" with him, but at least Liam knew the truth. That was all that mattered; even if Kendall and Jo tried to deny it, James would always be his parent to both him and his son.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Really short and shitty, I know. I just thought that was a good place to end it. Don't ask me why I made Lily/Liam trans, it just happened in my brain. So please review and tell me what you think.


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